Tomorrow is March 1st, the International Portrait Competition postmark deadline and last day to submit online. If you are planning to enter online, I recommend doing so as soon as possible because we are already experiencing record traffic on our site. To enter online you must pay via PayPal, so have a credit card ready. ►Click here to open the online entry form.

If you prefer to submit your entry the tried and true way, by mail, you can download the prospectus by clicking the link below. Directions of formatting and mailing your submission are included with the entry form on the prospectus. ►Click here to download the prospectus.

What a way to start the week! Best of luck to all of you in bidding in the auction and in the competition.

GOLDEN Artist Colors' products are professional quality art materials that are continuously extending creative opportunities for artists and strengthening industry standards.The GOLDEN acrylic system is unique in the ways in which the materials can be used in concert and in combination, making blending and application opportunities endless. These exciting and often unexpected results feed the imaginations of artists across the globe, leading to breakthroughs in painting and art making and supporting a process of continuous discovery.

GOLDEN uses single pigments in the majority of their colors and actively searches out ways to maintain the highest pigment load among all major manufacturers today in their standard, heavy body, fluid, airbrush, custom and conservation colors

GOLDEN Mediums and Additives offer artists control of changing acrylic colors. They range in consistency from pourable to moldable. They may be used to create glazes, extend paints, build texture, change finishes and work as a gluing agent for collages.

GOLDEN Varnishes offer several advantages to artists concerned about the longevity of their artwork. First, they are removable. Problems such as smoke damage, handling blemishes and dust or dirt accumulation on the surface of the painting can be removed along with the varnish. Second, GOLDEN Varnishes offer protection from UltraViolet (UV) rays generated from the sun. Third, varnishing consolidates the artwork with an even sheen. Gloss Varnishes can intensify colors while Matte or Satin Varnishes soften the color and minimize glare.

Friday, February 25, 2011

$550 worth of services for the Artist in Business.
You are an Artist, but you also want to make enough money to support yourself so you can keep doing what you love. That means you also have to know how to build a business, particularly in these tough economic times. These services will help you identify what's working and what's not, and create a plan for how to start building your business.

How Does it Work?

Coaching is a vehicle to take you from where you are to where you want to be. It’s not therapy, counseling, or a course of instruction. It is a process of identifying - with a professional ally - who and where you are, who and where you want to be, and the steps to take to reach your destination, with an agreed accountability model so you keep your commitments to yourself.

Deborah describes how she coaches:

What I offer is custom-made for each client. Typical components include vision and goals clarification, implementation, additional consulting services drawn from my years in business or in conjunction with my colleagues, follow-up, and on-going support as needed.

The first step is typically a half-hour consultation for both coach and client to get a sense of each other and whether we can comfortably work together.

Assuming we decide to work together, we agree a monthly rate and schedule a two-hour intake session, charged at the agreed monthly rate. In the intake session we agree your starting point, values, goals and objectives, and how our relationship will work.

We then work together for a minimum of three months, typically three forty-minute sessions per month. Other schedules - two one-hour sessions, for instance - are negotiable. After the initial three months, the relationship is renewed on a monthly basis, the average engagement being one year.

Coaching is typically done by phone; in person where practicable. During a session we look at whatever issue is current, action items agreed to from previous sessions, stumbling blocks, goals for the next week. I use a variety of tools to help my clients achieve their goals, and bring more balance and fulfillment to their lives.

When we agree that the relationship has reached its appropriate conclusion, we have a completion session to review what we’ve accomplished together, and to wrap up any loose ends.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Add a full roll of this excellent quality paper to your supplies. Bid now on two half-rolls of Professional & Museum Grade Wallis Paper. Wallis is a wonderful pastel paper that holds many layers of pastel and stands up to almost any treatment! The surface on the Wallis papers is a neutral pH, pigmented coating with an inert white aluminum oxide abrasive used to create the texture. The durable coating can be tinted or under painted using water, alcohol or solvent based media and will withstand extensive scrubbing and reworking.

MUSEUM:The Museum grade of Wallis paper is produced on a 100% cotton rag paper. The paper is slightly heavier, with one more coat of primer on both the front and back surface of the paper. Museum is recommended for any technique that requires wetting the surface. Withstands repeated reworking of the surface - even scrubbing off and starting over!

PROFESSIONAL & BELGIAN GREY:The Professional grade of Wallis is produced on a substrate of neutral pH, archival cardstock. It is available in both white and Belgian Grey (warm neutral grey) color.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Bid on this 3.5+ hour instructional drawing DVD featuring Modern Master, Jacob Collins, founder of the Water Street Atelier, Grand Central Academy and the Hudson River Fellowship.

Signilar Video Founder, Teresa Spinner writes:

Jacob is drawing a frontal nude, a healthy, young gal who has both strong legs and a nice figure. But, the lesson that is so apparent on this DVD is how often and how carefully he measures as he goes. It is obvious that this is exactly how he manages to create such beautiful, lifelike figures in his paintings. He is so careful laying out the drawing of the figure and the shadow areas, the musculature and skeleton underneath, that he doesn't have to think about it after that. Unlike many others of us who get to the middle of the painting and find that our figure is off or the layout is askew, Jacob is constantly taking the measure of the parts and the whole.

When he is finished, as he says, the drawing is ready to be finished or to be transferred to canvas for a painting. What was fascinating was how many different ways he measured and then how he stroked each line to indicate muscle and bone underneath. I believe what Mr. Collins has given us in this DVD is a great deal of what he teaches at his Grand Central Academe. As he mentions, he does not have his students start with the mechanics of the body but rather measuring and carefully laying down each mark. That was also interesting to watch. Jacob seems to literally sculpt out the figure with his mechanical pencil. And, the great thing is that we have managed to capture everything he says, every piece of advice and lesson on this DVD. So, that you not only watch him create this lovely nude but you can hear it all even his humming at times. I sincerely hope you will watch this DVD many times and get as much out of your time with Jacob Collins as I did.

Jacob Collins
Self Portrait Detail

Jacob Collins is a leading figure in the contemporary revival of classical painting. He earned a BA in history from Columbia College, attended the New York Studio School, the New York Academy of Art, and the Art Students League. As a student, Collins also copied extensively in museums in America and Europe. His work has been widely exhibited in North America and Europe and is included in several American museums. Collins is the founder of the Water Street Atelier, The Grand Central Academy of Art, and the Hudson River Fellowship.

Monday, February 21, 2011

Gift certificate of $100 towards anything in the Rembrandt line.Rembrandt artist supplies and materials for artists is a professional range of premium paints, pastels and accessories made in the Netherlands by the Royal Talens artist materials company. The Dutch company was founded in 1899 and has built a reputation among artists as a high quality manufacturer of art supplies.

The company sums up the characteristics of Rembrandt as being "maximum fineness, lightfastness and durability." The Rembrandt brand of artists supplies, named after the old master painter Rembrandt van Rijn, include a range of oil paints, acrylic paints, watercolor paints, pastels and artist quality brushes. Read more about all the products in this line, and bid on the $100 gift certificate you might choose to use toward:

Rembrandt soft pastel sticks are available in a variety of great sets. Rembrandt Pastel Sets are beautifully gift packaged with foam inserts. Choose colorful cardboard boxes or exquisite hardwood boxes with brass hardware; a landscape set, or a portrait set. Rembrandt pastels are unsurpassed in their purity and intensity. They are made from the highest quality pure pigments and are ground in an extra-fine kaolin clay binder to ensure that they have no hard bits or sharp edges. Full sticks measure 2-3/4" long × 7/16" diameter(70 mm × 11 mm), and are paper-wrapped.

Rembrandt watercolor sets include a marvelous range of eighty colors, such as: Transparent Titanium White which is excellent for applying a very transparent veil-like layer, Super Transparent Azo Yellows and Reds, a full range of Transparent Iron Oxides for transparent earthy tones, and a range of granulating colors, such as cobalts, French Ultramarine and Earth Green for grainy effects.

Rembrandt Extra-Fine Artists' Oils are considered by many professionals and competitive manufacturers as one of the finest oil colors ever produced. Each color contains only the finest and most lightfast pigments and the purest quality linseed or safflower oil. Each contains pigment fine-ground on a triple-roll mill. The new well-balanced selection of 120 colors has traditional and contemporary tones. This range includes extremely lightfast permanent yellows, reds, ultramarine greens and modern metal colors, plus a full complement of transparent glaze colors like Quinacridone Rose and opaque colors like Nickel Titanium Yellow. Four madder shades provide a full compliment of tones for artists seeking a range of permanent Alizarin Crimson shades.

Friday, February 18, 2011

Gift Certificate for a Weekend Stay - Enjoy a beautiful Grand Hyatt Atlanta getaway weekend for the 2011 conference or on any other weekend throughout the year.

A tranquil retreat within a vibrant urban setting, this grand Atlanta hotel is set within the upscale uptown neighborhood of Buckhead. Experience the city’s legendary Southern hospitality within this bastion of elegance. Spacious guestrooms with generous work desks and deluxe amenities include irresistible Hyatt Grand BedsTM and luxurious marble baths. Enjoviews of our Japanese Garden at Onyx at the Grand, savor renowned Southern Elegant cuisine at Cassis or treat colleagues and guests to the culinary expertise of the outstanding catering staff.

Surrounded by the “Beverly Hills of the South,” area attractions, including the World of Coca-Cola Museum, the Georgia Aquarium, and luxury shopping at Lenox Square and Phipps Plaza are easily accessible using convenient MARTA transportation. Travel to this elegant Buckhead hotel is seamless; Hartsfield Jackson International Airport is just minutes away. Discover the best of everything within your reach at Grand Hyatt Atlanta. Convenient to Zoo Atlanta, the Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca Cola, Lenox Square and Phipps Plaza. Located in Buckhead.

The Grand Hyatt Atlanta is the host site for the Portrait Society of America's annual The Art of the Portrait Conference. This package is applicable during the conference dates April 28-May 1, 2011 or at any other point during the year.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

The winning bidder will take home a 78 piece pastel set specially designed by Judith Carducci for portraiture.This set of soft pastels includes colors that you will need to capture any skin type. The set was put together by artist Judy Carducci, and it includes colors for underpainting skin tones as well as finishing. An excellent set for any portrait artist.

Since 1995, Great American Art Works has been researching, refining and manufacturing soft pastels, and has discovered new materials, techniques, and equipment they use to create uniquely excellent pastels. These handmade pastels are richly pigmented, and have superb brilliance of tone.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

The winning bidder will attend both workshops at the Southern Atelier in beautiful Sarasota, FL.The Southern Atelier is a grass roots educational organization pursuing fine craftsmanship in the visual arts. With a focus on realist drawing and painting as an understood language, The Southern Atelier provides access to sound training. The Natural beauty, luminous light and subtropical climate on the Gulf Coast of Florida has proved to be an ideal setting. Painters have the unique opportunity to improve their skills all year long, both out of doors and in the spacious, naturally lit studio.

Charcoal Wash and Painting with Romel de la TorreMarch 28-April 1, 2011 - 9:30-4pm
In this workshop Romel will share his creative technique and approach to charcoal drawing and oil painting. Artists will learn to use the elements that make a charcoal wash exhilarating and beautiful. He will emphasize composition, visual movement and improving upon drawing skills, value relationships, understanding edges and capturing the personality of the subject. Using his direct fluid painting style we will consider, color, edges, paint application, balance of shapes strong design and capturing the “feeling” of light. Learn to use the elements that make a portrait painting work as Romel provides individual instruction as well as critiques and group discussion.

Alla Prima Painting
with Clayton J. Beck III
February 25-28, 2011 - 9:30-4PM
This workshop is the classic Alla Prima approach to all prima painting of the portrait. The instructor will emphasize the importance of value comparison while working from the live model and students will learn to see values colors and edges in a way that will clarify their work with the portrait or any painting situation. Mixing of flesh tones and learning to create meaningful brushwork will also be an important aspect of the class. Demonstration will be purposeful and directive with individual attention given to the workshop participants.

Monday, February 14, 2011

Consider giving the gift that gives back to the arts and lets you give to the ones you love. Several companies have joined the Portrait Society of America in an auction to raise the final funds needed to match our NEA grant which provided funding for the Inspiring Figures exhibit and educational programs.

When you take home one of the auction items, all proceeds will got toward helping us reach our goal. Take a moment to look over the items we'll be auctioning off over the next two weeks on our Bidding for Good Auction Site.

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Who We Are

The Portrait Society was formed in 1998 as a national 501(c)(3) non-profit organization to increase aesthetic and technical knowledge of the practicing portrait artist, agents, students and the general public. We host educational events, workshops and conferences; produce literature and other educational media; connect communities of artists and work to support artists through a range of programs and services.